1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for fastening objects including, for example, saw blades, cutting discs, and the like, onto threaded spindles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a combined nut and flange fastener for fastening a circular saw blade or abrading disk to the arbor of a table saw.
2. Description of the Invention Background
Typically, a plurality of individual elements are disposed onto the rotatable arbor of powered saws to secure circular saw blades or abrading discs to the arbor. The plurality of elements known in the art are collectively referred to herein as a "fastening assembly". If the elements of the fastening assembly are not properly seated on the arbor, which is essentially a rotatable threaded spindle, the tendency of the blade to slip relative to the rotation of the arbor may increase, reducing the cutting or abrading effectiveness of the blade or disc.
Known fastening assemblies typically consist of a combination of at least a flange and a nut, and many times also include a spacer or washer disposed between the flange and nut. The flange functions to evenly distribute the clamping pressure of the tightened nut onto the object that is being secured and, in the case of a table saw, will reduce the occurrence of slippage. After placing the blade or disc onto the arbor, the flange is slid onto the arbor so as to abut the blade or disc. The spacer or washer is, if used, then slid onto the arbor to abut the flange. Finally, the nut is threaded over the arbor and is tightened against the flange or the spacer or washer.
Securing the blade or disk using fastening assemblies of the foregoing construction presents disadvantages. For example, in the case of a table saw, the arbor is typically located within the housing of the table saw and is largely inaccessible unless the housing is disassembled. As such, when fastening a blade or disc onto the arbor, the arbor must be located, and the flange, washer, and nut must be installed, largely by hand and using only the sense of touch as a guide. Such a process is time-consuming and prone to difficulty in quickly and successfully locating the arbor and securing the fastening assembly thereon. If one or more of the flange, nut, or washer/spacer are accidentally dropped into the housing of the saw, additional time is lost in retrieving the dropped elements. Accordingly, the known fastening assemblies do not provide an adequate solution to the objective of quickly and efficiently securing objects to a threaded spindle when limited space surrounds the spindle and the benefit of visual contact is absent.
The present invention is thus directed, in part, to a fastening apparatus which addresses, among others, the above-discussed needs and provides an apparatus for efficiently and effectively fastening a circular saw blade or abrading disc to the arbor of a table saw. Moreover, it will be appreciated that the present invention may be applied to the more general task of quickly and easily attaching an object of any type to a threaded spindle of any type.